PM had intel of terror attack 3 days before, claims Kharge over Pahalgam row

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his scheduled visit to Jammu and Kashmir after receiving an intelligence alert about a potential terror strike. Kharge claimed the intel report was sent to the PM three days before the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, most of them tourists.

“There was intelligence input and the government has accepted there was a failure. But if they already had this information, why wasn’t proper security ensured?” Kharge said. He further asked why the area was opened to tourists despite known risks and reiterated that the Centre’s response was inadequate despite prior warnings.

In a closed-door all-party meeting held on April 24, the government reportedly admitted to lapses in intelligence coordination and security arrangements. According to sources, local authorities failed to alert central forces before opening the sensitive Baisaran region in Anantnag, which is traditionally off-limits to tourists until the Amarnath Yatra.

Kharge emphasized that such grave oversights raise questions about the government’s preparedness. “If the PM can cancel his visit based on this intel, why weren’t stronger arrangements made to protect civilians?” he asked, adding that the government owed the public a more transparent explanation of its actions before and after the tragedy.

Meanwhile, earlier intelligence reports had also flagged possible targeting of tourists near Srinagar, especially in remote hotels in the Zabarwan foothills — warnings that appear to have gone unheeded.